Wild Poker and Floyd Mayweather: The power of celebrity endorsements

Famous figures worldwide are known for putting their faces, and even attributing their ‘brand,’ to a plethora of products across many varying industries.

The world of gaming is no stranger to such activity, with Floyd Mayweather the latest to align himself with the industry after striking a partnership with Wild Poker.

The social casino adventure game by Hero Digital Entertainment and Playtrex, will see the retired undefeated boxer integrated as a presenter and character within the title.

Daniel Kashmir, CEO of Playtrex, has been speaking to TotallyGaming.com about the importance of celebrity link ups and the necessity for a strong standalone product, explaining: “Celebrities have a strong history of helping mobile games succeed. Look what Kim Kardashian has done for Glu! But, not all games that tap into the power of celebrity endorsements are automatic successes.

“The game itself still has to be fun and compelling. In our case, the game itself already existed, and Floyd loved it so much that he wanted to become part of it.

“So this isn't just some game that was built in order to capitalize on an athlete's celebrity status. The game itself stands alone as a great gaming experience, but now, with Floyd as part of it, the experience is that much better.”

Wild Poker offers traditional Texas Hold’em but combines it with features that could more closely be associated with role playing games (RPG).

A selection of these includes journey and character development, real time decision making, power-ups and character development, in addition to users being able to embrace special skills which give the ability to ‘embrace the spirit of their favorite animal characters.’

Mayweather’s role within the game is to offer tips on successful game play and introducing new hands, as well as being available as a poker player with his own unique set of special skills.

Totally Gaming says: Aligning yourself with a popular celebrity is a sure fire way of generating interest in your offering, whatever industry you happen to be in. Floyd Mayweather is a huge name with an unparalleled global reach, and by ensuring Wild Poker can also function as a standalone product, they can set about maximising the benefits of a link up with the 50-0 fighter.